Blood in the Reach
by Tenchi Ginyu
Summary: In the aftermath of the Storm of Chaos, new adventurers carve out their own legends.


Blood in the Reach

'Twenty-five years man and boy I've been on this river! I mean, I've fought my share of pirates,

wreckers, mutants and even greenskins! And now they want me gone! I've heard the whispers, I know

what people are saying, that old Dolphus has lost it, that he can't do the job! Well I've had my patrols up

and down the Reach as far away as Fallenblatt, and even up to Zell! And nothing! No sign of these

pirates anywhere! What more can a man do? And now they've sent me you!''

The question was directed at Lysette Voss. Her eyes flickered over the ranting Riverwarden,

noting his thinning grey hair and leathery skin, evidence of a life out in all the elements the Empire's

climate could store. She noted the large bags under red, bloodshot eyes and detected a whiff of ale on

Dolphus Beck's breath. The man was losing sleep and trying to drown his sorrows. She smoothed her

plain gown and spoke.

'My belief is that someone is signaling the pirates.'

Dolphus Beck spluttered so hard, Lysette briefly wondered if the old man would collapse in

shock.

'A traitor? Here? That's unthinkable! It's impossible! It's.. it's…'

'Logical.' Lysette sighed. 'Think about it Herr Beck. Five boats attacked in two weeks and the

pirates evade your patrols with ease. No one is that lucky. Someone is telling someone something. Now,

all the attacked boats were sailing up the Reach from Eicheschatten, correct?'

Beck nodded.

'And they all had to report a route to you, correct?'

'Well, at the Town Register yes.'

'Who has access to the register?'

'The clerks at the Register, the River Wardens, of course and the Merchant's Guild. Why?'

'And is there somewhere close by where a signal could be sent?'

'Well, there's Pious Point. That overlooks the mouth of the Reach.'

'Pious Point?'

'Supposedly where Magnus the Pious went to pray for guidance when he was advancing on

Mordheim to raze the place.'

'Good. Now then, who among your men is a gossip?'

Beck guffawed. 'Which ones aren't? They jabber worse than women! Erm, begging your pardon

milady.' Lysette hid a smile at the grizzled Riverwarden's abashed look. 'But old Ezra's probably the

worst. Tell him something and the whole town knows about it before you've finished! Why?'

'Because we're going to set a trap. You're going to tell Ezra that a boat is going up to Zell with

something very valuable on board, so valuable they're not posting guards on deck, it's going through in

secret. Then you and I and perhaps some hired help will stakeout Pious Point and see if the bait is

taken.'

The night air was cold and, not for the first time, Lysette Voss pondered the curious traverses of

her life that led her to be crouched on a riverbank in the middle of the night with two river wardens in

the hope that a pirate might pass by.

'Taal's teeth, it's cold.' Ezra muttered. 'No one would be out in this.'

'That's what a pirate would pray for.' Lysette whispered back. The leathery deputy warden

subsided and rubbed his hands.

'Quiet both of you.' Dolphus ordered. 'Someone's coming.'

Lysette was impressed at the veteran Riverwarden's hearing as she strained to hear anything

that sounded like a horse coming through the darkness. Then she heard a slight jingle of a harness. The

trio pressed ever lower to the grass and watched a mounted figure pass by. Cloaked and hooded, the

figure glanced about at the shadows as if expecting an attack at any moment.

Lysette glanced at Dolphus who held a clenched fist just past his shoulder and was reminded for

a moment of her father, the late Captain Winterborne of the Carroburg Greatswords who used such

signals when commanding his men. Keeping her eyes on Dolphus' signal, Lysette dutifully fell in behind

Ezra when the senior Riverwarden signaled to follow the cloaked rider.

Pious Point was a headland overlooking the River Aver where the Reach flowed into it. The cold

night wind whipped across the exposed grass, scything down any wisps of mist that dared form. Lysette

watched as the rider dismounted and moved to the edge of the bank and could dimly hear the waters of

the Reach and the Aver grumble and sigh as they churned together below.

A faint clicking reached her ears as the rider flicked the shutter of a lantern produced from

beneath his cloak and the trio watched as an answering light blinked a reply from across the Aver at the

mouth of the Reach. Beck signaled to Ezra and the veteran River Warden crept across the ground with a

stealth that belied his years.

The rider swung himself back onto his horse and began his journey homeward when Dolphus

threw open the shutter of his lantern and bellowed a command to halt.

'In the name of the Emperor halt! Dismount and reveal yourself!'

Lysette saw Ezra rush in on the horseman's left flank and lunge for the reins, but the horse

reared up in panic and a flailing hoof caught the veteran Riverwarden and felled him to the grass.

Dolphus closed in on the right and tried to drag the rider down from the horse. But the animal

bolted and dragged both men along before the rider was able to kick the old man away, leaving Lysette

in the horse's headlong rush.

'Halt!' she called out, her voice sounding pitiful and weak.

A sword appeared in the hands of the rider and Lysette felt her own hand suddenly full of her

dagger.

As the rider lunged at her, she felt her feet step to the side and watched her hand sweep out at

the rider as he passed. The contact bowled Lysette of her feet, sending her tumbling among the grass

clumps and tuffets that dotted the point. Then they were gone into the night, hoofbeats receding into

the mists. Lysette got to her feet, grateful for no broken bones, but feeling a few areas growing tender

by the moment. Then her head cleared and she rushed to check on her comrades.

Dolphus Beck was slowly getting to his feet and turned the air blue with curses as he agonizingly

straightened up. Old Ezra was in worse shape, but alive, and it took both Dolphus and Lysette to raise

the wounded man from the ground. Lysette pressed a handkerchief to the gaping gash in the old man's

head and guided his hand to hold the cloth in place.

'Well that was a shambles!' Beck cursed again. 'You were right, I'll say that for you, but he got

past all three of us! I said we should have brought more men! Now I'll be run out of office for certain!

Why I ever let a woman make a battleplan, I'll never know! Well?' He rounded on Lysette. 'What now

commander?!'

Lysette bore his tirade calmly. 'We find a Physician.'

Both Beck and Ezra looked puzzled.

'Bring that light over here.' Beck recovered his lantern and yellow light spilled across Lysette's

hand and the dagger she was still holding. Crimson stained the blade.

'Whom do you have in this town who has medical training?'

'Well there's Kurt. He's a Barber-Surgeon. And Frederick, his brother. He's the town Apothecary.

Then there's Dr. Friedmann. He caters to them what thinks Kurt's beneath them.'

'Send men out to them all. Who else?'

'Who else? Isn't that enough? Only other one is Jorgo. He's the Halfling Apothecary, but he

don't treat humans. Locks his doors promptly at teatime, him.'

'Send someone to check. We must not assume anything. Anyone else?'

'Why?'

'Our rider is wounded. Any one of the town's apothecaries or physicians would know a knife

wound when they see one and our rider would have to risk their reporting it. No, I think the rider would

seek out someone more discreet, someone whose silence could be more easily bought than a

professional.'

Ezra snapped his fingers. 'Aggie. She knows about herbs and the like. When young Josef got

himself in a bother over that girl, I heard it was Aggie who fixed him up.'

'Then let's go see Aggie.'

The trio hastened through the streets of Eicheschatten. The capital city of the Mootland had a

sizeable human population due to the convergence of both the Blue Reach and the River Aver and the

traffic that they both carried. Known as 'Big Town', the buildings bore little resemblance to the winding

maze of lanes sprinkled with brightly colored buildings that formed the Halfling community of the area.

Lysette, Dolphus and Ezra hurried along the more conventional grid plan of 'Big Town', past the

warehouses lining the quayside and heading for a ramshackle dwelling on the outskirts of town. As Ezra

pointed the way, Lysette slowed her companion, not wishing to allow their quarry to elude them again.

Creeping closer, Lysette made put the glimmer of a candle through a crack in what could only be called a

cottage in the kindest of ways.

The two men took the lead with Dolphus kicking open the door.

'River Watch! No one move!' bellowed Ezra as he surged through the opening.

An old woman was crouching beside a pale young man, breeches round his ankles, tending to a

profusely bleeding wound to on his leg. Both started at the intrusion, the young man stumbling as he

tried to retrieve his clothing and dignity.

'Why, young Master Platt!' Dolphus grinned. 'That's a nasty looking scrape you have there. Now

how'd you come by that?'

Noah Platt blanched and stuttered as he tried to explain his presence in the old woman's hovel.

Lysette left the two Riverwardens to their victory and crept around the side of the tumbledown shack.

Where there was a rider, there must be a mount. A horse's whinny confirmed her suspicions and she

gently led the tired horse back round to the door.

Noah Platt had managed to replace his breeches and was attempting to explain himself. Dolphus

and Ezra were grinning like wolves at the flustered young man's halting and rambling excuses when

Lysette appeared. Dolphus' finger stabbed out.

'How do you explain that then? That horse is tired and hardridden! How do you explain that

when you live barely half a mile from here? And you never did tell us how you got your leg in such a bad

way! Best start talking lad, once it gets out that your name's involved with the river pirates, every rival,

opportunist and adversary around will be after you and your family!'

Lysette held up the lantern.

'See that?' Dolphus crowed. 'That's evidence of you conspiring to commit piracy! Five boats.

Five families. There's nowhere in the Empire you could run to. River folk care for their own and they run

all over the Empire. Not to mention the Guild. Lot of people lost a lot of money on those five boats. How

long do you think you can dodge a knife in your back?'

Noah Platt blanched. 'But but the Moot doesn't have a death penalty.' He stammered.

'True.' Dolphus admitted. 'But accidents do happen, don't they Ezra?'

'Oh yes. ' the grizzled veteran grinned. 'Remember that last young blood we pulled out the

Reach?'

'The one who had that suspicious mark in his back that looked a lot like a knife wound?'

'Yes, that was strange wasn't it? Especially with those nob investigators saying he just got drunk

and fell in the river.

And even if the little council just banishes you, remember the River Folk. They get around and

have friends all over. You'll have to run to the Elvish island to get away from them, and even then that

might not be far enough.'

The prospect of running for his life was too much and Noah broke down under the stares of the

Riverwardens.

'It's not my fault!' he babbled. 'he made me! He made me do it!'

'Who?' Lysette stepped forward.

'I can't say. He'll kill me if I say!'

Lysettes eyes narrowed. "Five boats. Five families butchered by you.'

The young man quailed under her steely stare. 'Not me! It wasn't me!'

'But it was you. You told them which boats and when. You sold those people out. You betrayed

them! Now, if you want to save yourself, you tell me who's behind you. Who gave you instructions?'

'I can't! I can't!'

'I am of the Temple of Verena. Co-operate with us and I can speak on your behalf to the

authorities, but I must know the truth. Everything.' Offering a merciful a lifeline to a suspect after letting

them drown in their own despair was a ploy often used by Temple Investigators and Lysette was certain

that it would yield results. The hope dawning in Platt's eyes confirmed her instincts and she pressed her

advantage.

'Herr Beck, I feel that we should take Herr Platt somewhere secure where he can unburden

himself fully. Somewhere with ink and parchment?'

'Aye, we'll have that back at the dockhouse.'

Once he was safely ensconced in a cellar at the dockhouse, Noah Platt had confessed

everything. How he'd gambled himself into debt, and how a mysterious benefactor had come to his aid

and told him how he could amass a great fortune so that his rise in the Merchant's Guild would be

assured. Everything but a name.

'I don't know his name! I swear! Upon Sigmar and Verena, I don't know.'

'Pull the other one boy, it's got bells on!' snarled Beck. His face, inches from the young man's,

was twisted in a rictus of rage, distorted further by the shadows the flickering candlelight cast. 'You

mean to tell me that a complete stranger pays off your debts and you don't even know who to thank?

Remember, you're on the hook for those boats my lad, so you'd better give us someone better!'

'I can't, I never knew his name!' wailed Platt.

'But you met him?' Lysette leaned in.

'Yes. But I never saw his face! He wore a cloak and cowl like I did.'

'Describe him.'

'How?'

'How tall was he?'

'Taller than me. By a head, I'd say.'

'Build?'

'Slender. Not thin, but not too broad either.'

'Any distinguishing features? A limp?'

'No, he moved well. Like a dancer.'

'Voice? Deep? Gruff? Nasal?

'Well spoken. Like a merchant or a Nobleman. Oh, and he smelt a little of cloves.'

'And where did you have your run of bad luck at the tables?'

'At the Gilded Lily.'

Lysette glanced up at Beck.

'It's a gambling boat this side of town. Pretty nice. Caters to expensive tastes.'

'Really. ' Lysette's mind made some connections. 'Who owns it?'

'That'll be Harter Klingmann.' Beck pursed his lips in thought. 'You think he's in this?'

'Is he taller than him?' Lysette nodded at Platt. 'Slender? Moves well?'

Beck and Ezra both nodded. 'From what we've seen of him, yes. Don't know about the cloves

though. You really think he's the leader.'

'It's quite a coincidence if he isn't. He's be perfectly placed to 'save' Mr. Platt from his debts and

he seems to match a description. He's certainly a possibility. But now we need to move on these pirates.

Thanks to Mr. Platt, they're expecting a boat, so they'll get one.'

Lysette watched the muddy banks of the Reach glide past and again reflected on the

circumstances that had brought her life to this point. Her (mercifully) brief marriage to Reiner Voss, to

the dilettante societies she had begun frequenting, to her 'recruitment' into the Temple of Verena, all

had seemed such good ideas at the time. Now, stuck on a boat hunting river pirates, Lysette debated if

the traditional house-bound life of a wife was so bad. She wasn't sure quite why she had been

instructed to accompany the Riverwardens on their mission, 'to ensure the Temple got a firsthand and

accurate account of events' her instructions had read. Assuming, of course, she survived to tell the tale.

Lysette speculated if this wasn't a means to have her disposed of. Female investigators were few and far

between, and some felt that was still a few too many.

Beck had pulled rank hard to lead this mission, determined to prove he was still up to his job

and picked two younger wardens as crewmen. Three trained Riverwardens along with the two dozen-

odd men Beck had rousted out of the dockside taverns and into the hold should prevail. Pirates were not

known for pitched battles and were unlikely to be expecting such stiff resistance, so the Temple would

likely get their report after all. One disguised warden trimmed the sails whilst a second watched the

current for any sudden shifts or snags that could puncture an unwary hull like a dagger.

'Sail aft!' the warden at the sails pointed behind them. Beck looked back and a feral grin

appeared on his leathery face.

'Crowd on more sail!' he bellowed at his comrade. 'May as well make them work a bit.' He

turned to Lysette. 'Go tell them below to ready arms.'

Lysette crossed to the hold doors as casually as she could and eased one ajar. A face gazed

expectantly up at her. 'Get ready.' She whispered. 'They're closing behind us. The signal's my scream.'

The face nodded and Lysette heard the command being passed as the door closed. She returned to

Beck's side and tried to recall the few fencing lessons she'd persuaded some of the Temple Guardians to

give her.

'Sail off the port side!' the cry came from the Warden at the front. Another boat had appeared

ahead of them and was rapidly cutting off their apparent escape route. Lysette heard Beck curse and felt

the boat lurch as he cut a new course to avoid a collision.

Grappling irons flew out and bit into the rails and rigging. The boat lurched again as the two

vessels ground together. More irons snared the far side as the second boat came alongside and bound

the captive boat securely between them.

The pirates bounded aboard, whooping and cheering at their easy prize. Lysette noticed a few in

the rigging waving crossbows and speculated as to the pirates' skill as marksmen. She shrank behind

Beck, who stood with his hands raised, when she was jerked backwards by a rank and greasy arm

encircling her neck and stifling her scream.

'I've got my share!' the pirate crowed to the cheers of his comrades. Lysette struggled against

her captor but the pirate simply hauled her towards the rail and the closest boat. Her eyes meet those

of the River Warden's and his jaw set.

'Morr take you!' Beck roared and snatched at the small of his back. A crossbow bolt slammed

into him as a pistol came up and Beck fell. The pistol barked and Lysette felt the ball hiss past her face as

she and her captor screamed.

Pandemonium erupted. The two dozen mercenaries exploded from the hold and went to their

savage work. The pirates barely had time to scream before their enemy was upon them, swords and

axes flashing in bloody arcs as battle was joined in earnest.

A huge man swinging a hefty cudgel studded with rivets bounded towards Lysette, batting one

pirate out of his path before deftly parrying a sword thrust and cracking another luckless pirate's skull

with a return swing. Archers loosed arrows at the pirates in the rigging and screaming bodies

plummeted to the decks and water.

Lysette was able to shrug the wounded pirate's arm away and dove to the deck, crawling to

where Dolphus Beck lay in his own blood. The fallen man gargled a warning as hands seized her hair and

her fingers found her dagger just as she was jerked to her feet. Rage and fear driving her, Lysette drove

her weapon up and felt a warm flow stream over her hands. The pirate looked down in surprise at the

crimson outpouring and just had time to gurgle a protest before death claimed him.

Unprepared for this kind of resistance, the lightly armed pirates were no match for the trained

and disciplined men who now faced them. A Captain swept up and down the deck barking orders in the

peculiar clipped Battle Tongue that every fighting man seemed to understand. One boat had already

been taken and pirates were being rapidly swept from the deck of the second. Lysette could see the big

man with the club at the forefront wreaking carnage with every swing of his terrible weapon.

The scent of smoke filled the air and Lysette turned to see tongues of flame licking at the

already taken pirate boat. Lysette had seen from her own experiences as an Investigator how fast fire

could spread, and she had no desire to enter the kingdom of Morr. Grasping her bloody dagger, Lysette

rushed to the bow and began sawing and hacking at the grappling iron ropes that had snared the vessel

so thoroughly. The Captain turned his head and barked orders. Several mercenaries immediately joined

Lysette at the rail and gradually, the vessels parted, with a few small flames crossing over only to be

beaten and doused out of existence.

Lysette hastened back to Beck's side and pressed her hands to his wound, trying to staunch the

bleeding. She snatched strip of cloth from a dead pirate and wadded it up against Beck's clammy flesh.

'Did we do it?'

'Thanks to you. Now lie still Herr Beck, the day is won. Your courage saved our lives, so lie still

and it'll be over soon. You'll be the hero of Eichschatten tonight.'

The old River Warden coughed a chuckle. 'No lady, I'll be drinking with old man Morr tonight.'

Beck suddenly seized Lysette's hands in his. 'Just tell them old Beck came through one last time. You will

tell them won't you?'

'With Verena as my witness.' Lysette whispered and closed the dead man's eyes.

The mercenaries returned to their companions who were cheering their victory and at the

prospect of some 'entertainment'. Lysette glimpsed the big man with the club grinning as he held up a

scrawny pirate with a noose already hanging from his neck. The pirate looked barely old enough to

shave and Lysette remembered what Noah Platt had told her.

'Wait!' she cried, trying to push her way through the throng. 'Wait, I need to question him!'

Heads turned in surprise at her words and Lysette took the opportunity to shove her way

through to where the big man was tossing the rope over the boom.

'I need to question him!' Lysette repeated. The big man looked puzzled.

'Why?'

'I am an Investigator of the Temple of Verena.' Lysette announced. Gasps and not a few snorts

and chuckles rippled through the assembly. 'As such, I must question this man to conclude the Temple's

interest in this matter. Of course, if anyone objects, the local Templars will be happy to explain the

Temple's postion.'

The chuckling was replaced by muttering and no one met Lysette's eye. A slight to one deity was

a slight to all and few would want the Sigmarite fanatics or the fearsome Wolf-Priests of Ulric pointing

this out. The big man shrugged and jerked the rope, hauling the pirate upright.

'How did you dispose of the items you stole?' Lysette asking the pirate over his coughing.

'Our leader had a contact. Everything went through him.'

'Which one was your leader?' Lysette's heart sank when the pirate motioned towards a

crumpled heap on the deck. Lysette gasped as she realized that it was the corpse of the man she had

stabbed. The prisoner was the only survivor, so any hope of identifying the contact was gone.

'Did you ever see this contact? What did he look like?'

'He was always cloaked and hooded. I never saw his face. But he rode a beautiful roan mare.

Dappled grey she was.'

'You know horses?'

'My father was a horse coper. Until he sold the wrong horse to the wrong man and wound up in

a gibbet. It's what turned me to piracy.'

Lysette ignored the plaintive wheedle that crept into the pirate's voice and thought. Dappled

grey roans were rare enough, so there couldn't be more than a few at best, even in a trading hub like

Eicheschatten. It was thin, but she could work with it.

'How tall was the man you saw? Taller than him?' She gestured to the late Pirate Captain.

'About the same I think.'

'You.' Lysette motioned to a mercenary. 'Help me stretch him out.'

The man began to protest at the prospect of taking orders from a strange woman, but the

Captain barked a command and the man obediently did as he was bid. The corpse was laid out and

Lysette stepped back, calculating and comparing. The dead pirate was, to her eye, about a head taller

than Noah Platt, so was about the same as the man Platt claimed 'recruited' him. Her suspicions were

still possible, but lacked the certainty of evidence.

'Are you done with him?' the big man's question broke into her reverie.

'Yes.' She idly said. Then a flash of movement and a gasp shattered her reverie. Lysette turned

and was horrified to see the young pirate slump lifelessly to the deck.

'You killed him! Why did you kill him?' Lysette screamed.

'You said you were done with him.' The big man responded, confused.

'So you kill him?!'

'He was a pirate.' came the defensive answer.

Lysette huffed, somewhat stymied. There was no arguing the man's guilt, and that the penalty

for piracy of any kind in the Empire's lands was a short step off a ladder and a lengthy sojourn in a

gibbet. But, to see a man so casually killed, despite his guilt went against every concept of justice Lysette

had ever held sacred. She struggled to speak.

'He could have given us information! Maybe there are other pirate groups in the area! He could

have led us to his camp!'

'You said you were done with him.' The big man repeated defensively.

Lysette gaped.

'Alright now, no one's in the wrong here, just come this way Miss.' The Captain intervened,

steering her away to the rail where Lysette abruptly broke down and wept, finally overwhelmed for the

loss of Beck and the slaughter that she had been party to. The Captain stood at her side, an arm around

her and she clung to him as she used to do with her father until her grief subsided. 'Take some deep

breaths and it'll pass.' He murmured, recognizing the effects of a first time in combat. 'You did very well

back there. You took care of that one pirate, and you gave the signal at a right proper moment. They

couldn't cast off and had nowhere to run. And don't hold it against that big fellow. He did that pirate a

favor, a quick death like that. Beats being dragged up a ladder to do Morr's Waltz. Now folk can sail this

river safely and everything's right with the world again.'

'Not everything.' Lysette said, drying her eyes. She recalled that there was still the matter of the

tall man in his hood and cloak. 'Captain, I wonder if I can prevail upon you and your men upon our

return to Eicheschatten?'

A chill hung in the night air. Lysette pulled her cloak tighter around her shivering frame and

stared enviously at the bustling hub of warmth, laughter and comfort that was the Gilded Lily. The

Captain had gone inside some time ago and Lysette could hear snatches of song and laughter. The

Captain had agreed to have his men boast of their sweeping victory over the pirates and to tell that the

identity of their leader was known among the taverns of the city. Lysette reasoned that the leader,

whoever it may be, would quickly seek to escape, and would not, she hoped, leave a valuable horse like

a dappled roan behind. She had elected to watch the Gilded Lily as this was where the hapless Noah

Platt stated he had fallen into debt and been 'recruited' as a messenger. Her Verenean Warrant had

scarcely proved sufficient to require the City Watch to detain anyone leaving the city until she had had a

chance to personally vet them, but the death of Dolphus Beck had galvanized the River Watch into

action, posting men alongside their city brethren and patrolling the city streets and quayside

themselves. Lysette murmured a prayer for the departed River Warden and hoped their combined

efforts would bear fruit.

A patrol of watchmen tramped past, some blowing into their hands, cursing the night's chill and

the River Warden leading them.

Lysette watched the patrol vanish into the shadows and vainly tried to wrap her cloak around

her more tightly. Some revelers staggered through the yellow pool the lantern cast when a flicker of

movement caught Lysette's eye. The revelers engaged in some catcalling and one elected to relieve

himself on the Gilded Lily's bow. Lysette was sure the cold was affecting her eyes as the revelers lurched

off.

Her doubts vanished as the flicker came again and Lysette watched a figure nimbly creep around

the bow of the boat and ease their way silently onto the cobblestones. Skirting the edge of the

lamplight, the figure headed down a dark street, moving with haste. Lysette did her best to follow as

unobtrusively as possible, keeping as much distance as she dared between them. As she trailed after the

figure through the winding streets of Eicheschatten, she lost sight of them several times, and was only

able to pick up their trail again due to the increased patrols slowing their progress. The figure was taking

every precaution to avoid being followed and Lysette murmured prayers of thanks for not losing her

quarry in the darkness.

At last they came to a stable and the figure vanished inside. Lysette crept as close as she dared

and agonized as to whether she should stay put and risk losing the figure, or pursue further. Thankfully,

the figure reappeared, leading a horse. Pausing to wrap stripes of cloth around each hoof, the figure set

off, following the river towards Eicheschatten's eastern gate, Lysette trailing behind.

Two sleepy guards were propping up the city gate when figure and steed quietly approached.

No River Wardens were in sight, so the guards seemed quite amiable to the purse the figure produced.

The pair counted out the contents and one made to open the gate.

'In the name of Verena, stop that man!' Lysette yelled, rushing forward from her hiding place.

'Stop him! Call the Watch! Call the Watch!'

The guards, panicked at their discovery, grabbed at their weapons. Coins tinkled among the

cobbles as the bribe was hastily discarded. The figure swung themselves into the saddle and yanked the

horse's head around, seeking an avenue of escape. But before the steed had broken a trot, something

purred over Lysette's head. The rider shrieked and fell, an arrow sprouting from their shoulder. Lysette

spun around to see the big man from the Wayfarer stride forward, pushing past her, and reach the

mewling bundle on the cobbles. The figure cried out as they were callously hauled upright and the big

man tore the hood away. Lysette stepped forward to finally see her suspect's face.

'Fetch a torch.' She ordered to the two sentries who were crowding in behind her.

Boots pounded on cobblestones and the nearest Watch patrols rounded the corners, filling the

small square and adding to the confusion.

'What's going on here?' a Captain of the Watch demanded. 'Who are you? What are you doing

with him?'

'I am Lysette Voss, Investigator of Verena.' Lysette announced, producing her warrant. 'This man

is suspected of being in league with the River Pirates. I followed him from the Gilded Lily to a stable

where he collected this horse and attempted to flee the city.'

'It's true Sir.' One of the gate sentries spoke up. 'He tried to bribe us too.' The other added

virtuously.

'Bring that torch!' Lysette repeated and one sentry scrambled to obey. The flames lit the face of

a man. Lysette took the flaming brand and moved towards the horse, which danced and snorted,

nervous at the fire wielding stranger approaching it.

'Easy now. ' Lysette murmured and gently took the dangling reins. Bringing the torch closer, her

heart leapt as she made out the unmistakable pattern of roan. Gripping the reins tightly, Lysette moved

the flames back towards the man, illuminating his face.

'It's Harter Klingmann!' a voice confirmed Lysette's suspicions and hopes and her heart soared.

'The same man who owns the Gilded Lily?' she asked.

'Aye. That's him alright.'

'Then, Herr Klingmann, tell me, where are you going so late? And why take so much trouble not

to be observed?'

Klingmann turned, gasping in pain. 'Captain, you know me. I am a local businessman of repute.

Surely I need not be interrogated in the street as if I was some thug? Especially given my

wounds? And by a strange woman? Could we not adjourn somewhere more private where I may

explain myself to men of character and integrity?' As he spoke, a clove scented breath wafted

over Lysette and she knew she had her man.

'She said he was in league with those pirates!' a voice cried. 'What's that about?'

'I have a witness who has testified that he was coerced into aiding the pirates after running up

debts at the Gilded Lily by a man who fits Herr Klingmann's description.' Lysette proclaimed.

'And I have witnessed testimony that a man communicated with the pirates in their own camp,

a man who rode a roan mare. How many roan mares are in Eicheschatten?'

The crowd murmured. 'Not many.' Came one voice.

'And now, Herr Klingmann seeks to flee the city under curfew, creeping through the streets in

hood and cloak, wrapping his horse's hooves for silence and seeking to bribe the Watchmen at

the gate. I saw him slip off the Gilded Lily myself. I ask why?'

The crowd murmured again, more in Lysette's favor. The Captain looked nervous, obviously

wanting to settle matters out of sight, but reading the crowd's mood.

'I think, Herr Kingmann, that there are enough men of character and integrity here to ensure

justice is done. You may explain yourself.'

The crowd pressed closer, eager to hear Klingmann's words and the man vanished into the

throng, sputtering and protesting in vain.

Lysette turned to the big man who was watching the Captain frantically attempt to restrain an

increasingly angry mob with a grin.

'You followed me.'

'I did.'

'Why?'

'You're not from here, you're unarmed, and you don't know how to track people. So I thought

I'd lend a hand if you needed one.'

'I don't know how to track people?' Lysette gaped and gestured towards Klingmann. 'I tracked

him.'

'Luck. He got held up by patrols and didn't lead you into an ambush. And the first thing you need

to know about tracking someone is to look behind you once in a while.'

Lysette flushed at the realization she had left herself completely vulnerable in the alleyways of a

strange city.

'Well, thank Verena I had you as my Guardian Angel Herr…?

'Er, Arne. Arne Veidt.'

'Well, Herr Veidt, I'm going to propose to the Captain that we search Herr Klingmann's home, if

you would care watch over me a while longer?'

Arne Veidt grinned and gestured a brawny arm.

The Dancing Bear was crowded. A circle of locals and mercenaries crowded around a table

exhorting and cheering two men engaged in a fierce bout of arm wrestling. One man was the

Captain of the mercenaries from the Wayfarer. His hair and moustache were slick with sweat

and his face was locked in a grimace of effort. His opponent was Arne Veidt who wore his own

rictus of exertion. The search of Klingmann's house had yielded several items from the five boats

and Klingmann had broken down and confessed. The Halfling Council had banished him from

the Mootlands and he had promptly been shipped to Averheim to face the Emperor's Justice.

Noah Platt had gone too, as a 'witness'. Lysette and the mercenaries were hailed as heroes and

enjoying the town's largess for as long as they could, with the Dancing Bear hosting for this

evening. Lysette joined in the cheers as Arne inexorably drove the Captain's arm to the table

and the big man whooped as he scooped up his winnings.

'The whole lot!' he roared. 'I told you I could beat whole lot!' Arne swigged a bottle of

Kemperbad brandy and dumped the remnants into Lysette's cup, throwing his arm around her.

'We did good work eh?'

'Indeed we did. ' Lysette smiled politely and slipped out of his embrace, raising her cup to the

victor. Taking a sip, Lysette set the cup down and casually moved away. She had drank sparingly,

but still had still imbibed more than she was used to. 'So where will you go now Herr Veidt?'

'I don't know. Maybe find a boat who needs a guard and work my passage somewhere. Depends

who offers me more money. You?'

'I've made my report to the Temple, so I'll wait to see if they have another assignment for me. If

not, I'll go home to Carroburg. Maybe you could sign up with the good Captain? He could use a

skilled fighter like you.'

'No, they're heading south. I've just come from there. So Carroburg. Is it far?'

'It's in the Middenland, so far enough. Almost all the way to Marienburg via Altdorf.'

Arne nodded. 'Well, safe travels.'

'And to you Herr Veidt.'

Lysette watched the big man leave, her instincts nagging at her. Arne's dress and mannerisms

suggested to her that he was a peasant, but usually the peasantry were more impressed by

people from the larger towns and cities, frequently asking questions about things they'd heard

of. But he hadn't seemed interested in anything beyond the distance to Carroburg. And he

hadn't said anything about where he was from. Still, not everyone was so forthcoming about

themselves. She was just tired and her nerves were frayed from her adventures. It was probably

nothing anyway. Lysette shook her head at her propensity to be suspicious and was debating

what flowers to lay on Dolphus Beck's grave when a figure approached her. Startled, her dagger

appeared in her hand and the figure stepped back. Torchlight showed the figure to be a young

man in the livery of a servant.

'Forgive me madam, I seek the Lady Lysette Voss.'

'I am she.' Lysette replied, hurriedly sheathing her weapon.

'I represent the house of Maurice Radman, a merchant of this town. He wishes to retain your

services and so extends an invitation to you to come to his house for dinner tomorrow. There,

he would like to discuss the matter with you in detail.'

Lysette sighed.

'Kindly tell your master I'm honored by his invitation, but I must decline. I have to ensure my

report is properly submitted to the Temple and I must then await further instructions from my

superiors.'

'But Herr Radman…'

'Look, I'm tired, I've had somewhat too much to drink and I need sleep. Please. Tell your Master

thank you, but no thank you.'

And Lysette marched off.

Upon reaching her room, she paused to enjoy the sight of her bed and the good night's sleep

that would soon follow. And noticed a folded sheet of parchment on the quilt. Recognizing the

seal as that of her superior, she groaned and broke it open.

'Go to dinner.'


End file.
